L.I.C Massage & Stretch Therapy — Local services in New York

Raul has a basic understanding of the human anatomy and muscles but seems to lack deeper understanding of their biomechanics. As a personal trainer I have a general knowledge of how muscles work. When I tried to explain my pain issues in details (shoulder blade muscles and their biomechanics) he didn't quite get what I'm saying and got confused multiple times about the importance of the pectoralis minor in relation to scapular function. So I gave up and went along with what he suggested and did half massage and half stretching, as I didn't want the conversation to drag out and take up more of my session time.

The massage was underwhelming but the stretching session was above expectations. Raul also guided me through what I can do at home. He basically recommended the McKenzie method that physical therapists use, which I already knew about, but were apparently holding the stretches for too long. He told me that each stretch should only be held for 2 seconds otherwise they would be counterproductive. Definitely learned something useful there.

Overall my 1 hour session was about 20 minutes consultation, 20 minutes massage, and 20 minutes stretching, which for a steep price of $120, I honestly expected a lot more and was therefore dosappointed. It's hard to think that it was worth it, as unfortunately the session didn't help me much at all. Raul is genuinely a nice guy though and wants to help, so if you have common problems (back, neck pain) unlike me or just want to improve flexibility/posture/range of motion with his Active Isolated Streching techniques, then you may have better luck. I will update the review if the stretching ends up helping me more, but for now I am giving this place 3.5 stars.

Update:

Good to hear feedback from Raul. Means he really cares about his clients. Actually, as it turns out, I just saw a doctor and he said that it is indeed a tightened/shortened pectoralis minor combined with weakened/lengthened back muscles (primarily the lower trapezius and rhomboids). Also a bit of a rotator cuff strain (teres minor).

Myofascial release and stretching of the pec minor and strengthening of the back and rotator cuff were recommended. He said to go to a physical therapist or an experienced massage therapist and that if symptoms still don't improve in 4 to 6 weeks then a corticosteroid shot to relax the pec minor can be considered.

In regards to Raul's post, maybe it is better to NOT advertise doing myofascial release/deep tissue massage on the website if he is not too comfortable performing them. Anyways good luck and I hope all future clients have a relaxing time at...

I’ve struggled with lower back pain on and off for 30 years. I’ve tried just about everything under the sun to be free of the pain in a way that I could manage. I didn’t want to be dependent on a therapist for the rest of my life. I drove the 2 hrs. from CT to L.I.C. Massage & Stretch because I had heard good things and read the reviews and was desperate for pain relief. It was so worth the trip. Raul took the time up front to understand, in the best way I could describe, my issue. He then massaged the specific and overly tight muscles. After that he stretched those muscles, but more importantly he taught me the technique! He patiently instructed me on how to execute each stretch accurately and why - the relationship between the muscles and how create a deep stretch “end to end” of the muscle. What a difference! As we progressed through each different stretch I could feel greater freedom of movement and less and less pain. I thought I knew how to stretch but I really didn’t have a clue. I was probably making matters worse! I left the session feeling 2 inches taller and pain free! I also left with the confidence of know I could help myself stay pain free. After decades of discomfort and pain I can’t tell you how good it feels that I can now be in control. If you are like me and sick and tired of nagging back pain give L.I.C. a try. No drugs, no surgery just a knowledge of how the body should be balanced and techniques you can do yourself to bring your body back...

I am extremely grateful and lucky to have found Raul, owner/massage therapist with LIC Massage & Stretch Therapy, as I was suffering from a very painful/stiff neck and shoulders the morning before an international trip. Raul immediately picked up the phone and asked relevant questions to help him determine how to proceed and since this wasn't just an "I want/need a Swedish massage before a long flight" and more of a "PLEASE HELP I'M IN PAIN!" he thankfully was able to squeeze me in later that afternoon.

As other reviewers have said, Raul is very polite, calm, and knowledgeable. After describing my neck/shoulder/upper back pain in person, he pointed to a "Muscles of the Back" anatomy poster to show what muscles were responsible for the pain (trapezius mainly) and provided a brief and educating overview of those muscles.

Raul focused the massage/stretching session on the areas affected and provided a number of different stretches/helpful tips that I could do on my own to help alleviate the pain and also prevent future issues.

Later that night, I boarded the 7-hour overnight flight and when we arrived at our destination, my NECK/SHOULDERS/BACK WERE NO LONGER IN ANY PAIN AND THE STIFFNESS WAS GONE ALL THANKS TO RAUL!

I will definitely continue to see Raul in an effort to use his stretching techniques for preventative/comfort purposes and highly recommend others who...